


The Catalyst

by chazzaroo



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, M/M, Slow Burn, goku and vegeta take a while to fall in love as always, supporting characters WILL die, there will be treachery from unexpected characters, violence happens in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-04-24 15:17:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19175986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chazzaroo/pseuds/chazzaroo
Summary: kakarot's space pod malfunctioned on his way to earth, leaving him stranded on a lifeless planet. that is, until the other surviving saiyans find him by accident. together, will they finally overthrow frieza?MASSIVE EDIT: 8/15/20199/30/2019: on hiatus until i figure out how to continue





	1. Chapter 1

    “Do you guys see that?” Two heads rose up from their immediate surroundings to stare at the third, and eyes followed his pointing arm towards the horizon. A small plume of smoke was rising there, barely noticeable, but to men trained in combat and killing it was like someone screaming ‘come and get me!’ “That could be a civilization, and my knuckles are itching for fresh meat. This place is a fucking wasteland already.” He growled, cracking his knuckles. The smallest of them rolled his eyes.

    “You are annoyingly impatient, Raditz.” He scolded, already crossed arms now crossing tighter. The much taller man only shrugged, hopping into the air and taking flight, not even waiting to see if his companions would follow him. “And extremely over-confident.” He mumbled, motioning for the remaining soldier to follow, and the two blasted off after their rogue companion. At their speed, it didn’t take them long to close in on the source of the smoke, and at that point the three were flying almost side-by-side. Though the smallest stayed in the lead.

    “It doesn’t seem like there’s anything there.” The bald one squinted, and got a hard punch on the shoulder from their silent leader. He rubbed at it with a sour expression, squint turning to a glare. “What was _that_ for, Vegeta?” 

    “Turn on your scouter, you dolt.” Vegeta’s device was already chirping away as they closed in on Raditz’s find, and the dolt in question sighed and clicked on his own. It blinked quickly, then settled on what seemed to be a single lifeform. “A _single_ measly power level. Are you regretting your decision to investigate this now?” Vegeta shot his own look at Raditz.

    “Might as well finish off whatever managed to survive on this miserable dirt ball.” He retorted, beginning to drop lower out of the sky and towards the ground. The other two begrudgingly followed him, clicking their scouters back off. Raditz would just lead them right to whoever was living down there anyways, so there was no need for them. Dust billowed around them as they landed, no wonder there was almost no plant life here, it surely couldn’t survive in such dry soil. Raditz was scanning the area, his head on a swivel. The largest of them sighed angrily.

    “This is _boring_. Your perfectionist streak is ridiculous.” He pushed past Raditz, going to scan the area himself. Raditz bristled, kicking a leg out and tripping the other mid-step. He fell into the dusty dirt with a cry of protest.

    “Oh, sorry Nappa. I didn’t see you there. The sun was in my eyes because it was reflecting off of that head of yours.” His smirk betrayed his already obvious lie, and Nappa shot off of the ground, eyes blazing and veins close to bursting.

    “Why, you-!” 

    “That’s enough.” Their leader barked, and they both turned with a deer-in-headlights expression. Dirt and dust was still caked on Nappa’s face. “We’re not _children_ . Waste more of my time and you’ll both be buried six feet _under_ the dirt instead.” The two looked at each other, sweating, then turned away with a simultaneous mumbled apology. Vegeta only grunted in response, they were acknowledged, but not yet forgiven.

    “You three seem nice.” Even Vegeta was caught off-guard as someone behind them all began approaching, footsteps crunching on small rocks. How had none of them heard the person approach? Nappa and Raditz got into defensive stances, while Vegeta simply stood up a bit straighter, arms crossed and brows furrowed. “Did I scare you?” 

    “Maybe those two idiots,” Vegeta tossed his head to the side to gesture at his underlings. “But not me. I don’t _get_ scared.” He huffed, and he remained perfectly still even as the approacher chuckled, scratching the back of his head. It was then that Vegeta noticed his attire- it was older saiyan armor, though a bit damaged, and a blue piece of cloth was tied around his head like a bandana. Tilting his whole body to the side, he peered behind the man and his suspicions were confirmed. A black-furred tail swished idly behind him as he walked, and Vegeta’s gaze grew cold. “You’re a saiyan.”

    “That’s news to me.” He stood casually, though his expression did not radiate kindness. Vegeta could feel those eyes sizing him up, and he wondered if the man was misjudging his strength due to his height. Vegeta went to speak again, but was interrupted by the rapid footsteps of Raditz. His eyes were wide, like he’d seen a ghost. 

    “Spit it out, Raditz. What’s wrong?” Vegeta shoved him, and Raditz blinked, turning off his scouter.

    “That’s- he looks just like my younger brother! It has to be him! I didn’t think he survived the blast.” Raditz’s own tail had unwrapped from around his waist to bristle in surprise, and Vegeta did note that their tails were the same color. All third-class warriors usually had black tails, though, so that didn’t confirm much at all. Nappa looked between the two men, wracking his brain for once. 

    “Vegeta, I think he’s _right._ ” Vegeta looked at him with an eyebrow raised, so he continued. “I knew Raditz’s father, this guy has the same… _everything_. It’s like someone cloned the guy, I swear!” Raditz was running a hand through his mess of hair now, stunned.

    “You. How did you escape the planet’s destruction?” Vegeta shot out a gloved finger to point at him, and the man thought for a moment. 

    “I can’t remember. There’s a weird space pod around here, though. If I had to guess I’d say I was in that.” He didn’t seem to know the custom of wrapping his tail like a belt, as it now rested limply behind him. Vegeta uncrossed his arms, and stepped closer. The guy had a good few inches on him, but Vegeta learned long ago that his height only made him stronger. It’s easy to win when your opponent has underestimated you. 

    “Alright, I’ll bite. Take us to it immediately.” It was an order, not a request, and the taller man only shrugged and turned around. Looks like they’d be walking. Vegeta trailed behind, and Nappa and Raditz obediently joined him. “What’s your name?”

    “Dunno. Can’t remember that either.” 

    “If he’s related to me, then it’s Kakarot. My brother’s name was Kakarot.” Raditz provided, and again, Vegeta only grunted. _Kakarot._ Such a silly name for what seemed to be a rather formidable warrior, he wasn’t scrawny by any stretch of the imagination. As much as it dented his ego to admit it, Vegeta could bet that with enough training, this Kakarot could match his own strength. He looked strong enough at the moment to beat Raditz into nothing, so obviously the wrong sibling had been chosen for the army. The thought almost made Vegeta laugh out loud.

    “This guy’s weird, Vegeta. He doesn’t even know his own heritage!” Nappa stepped closer to whisper to him, and Vegeta closed his eyes to think.

    “I would assume he was sent here as an infant. Raditz and I were only children when Planet Vegeta was destroyed, perhaps Kakarot is a few years younger than his brother.” He certainly didn’t look too much younger, but maybe that was _another_ sign of how much better suited to be a warrior he was compared to Raditz. Vegeta was almost contemplating abandoning Raditz here and running off with this hunk of a man instead. _Hunk._ What a ridiculous thought. “Hurry it up, we don’t have all day!” Vegeta snapped to distract himself, and to forget that train of thought. 

    “Calm down, we’re close.” Kakarot waved him off with a hand, and Vegeta had half a mind to blast him into oblivion. His fists clenched, but he did not lose his temper. Raditz was covering his face with both hands, probably ashamed, and Nappa simply stayed quiet. “Oh, there it is.” Vegeta looked up, and- had he really been staring at the ground the past few minutes? Raditz ran ahead of the group, nearly knocking all of them over, and slid down the giant crater left by the pod. He released the hatch, but it refused to open. 

    “Looks like the thing’s broken. That’s why this place isn’t ripped to shreds, Vegeta, it couldn’t generate him a moon to use.” Nappa whispered to his leader again, and Vegeta nodded, fingers cupping his chin as he watched Raditz pry the door open. What a brute.

    “It’s definitely an older model!” Raditz called out, sticking his head through the broken door for a second, making his hair squish comically. Both Nappa and Vegeta chuckled at the idiotic display, but Kakarot didn’t feel like standing around with them, and joined his older brother in the pit. “How did you even get out, if the door was stuck shut?” Kakarot laughed, shouldering Raditz aside to turn the pod around effortlessly. There was a hole blasted through the back of it. The trio gawked. A baby with that much raw power? Vegeta’s thumb was on his bottom lip now, a nervous habit, and Nappa pretended he didn’t notice.

    “I don’t remember doing this, but no one else lives on this planet, so it had to be me.” He stepped away from the pod, but Raditz didn’t. For this, he was shoved out of the way by Vegeta. Vegeta noted that, how Kakarot seemed to know he was approaching, despite having no indication of it. He had flown down instead of sliding, and his footsteps are always silent. Getting his own glance inside, Vegeta saw what he assumed was the problem, a persistent blinking red light.

    “It looks like the autopilot just malfunctioned. How unlucky.” He stepped back and dusted himself off, even though there was no way he had gotten any dirt on his clothes. “The pod obviously was set to take you somewhere relatively safe, so you’re not a _real_ infiltration baby.” Vegeta turned his gaze on Kakarot’s brother. “Raditz?”  
  
    “I can’t explain it, Vegeta. I didn’t even know he was alive! Our mother and father both perished along with the planet.” Raditz showed no signs of sadness at the admission, but really, none of them had the luxury of mourning their families. It wasn’t the saiyan way. Saiyans were born to fight and kill, death was just an inevitable final loss you couldn’t recover from.

    “Bardock was always a strange man. I think he knew something bad was coming.” Nappa slid down the rock wall to join them gathered in the pit. Vegeta pondered this.  
  
    “He knew, and yet he saved his child rather than himself… how disgustingly honorable of him.” He curled his lip in disgust, and Raditz at least respected his parents enough to look mildly offended. “Anyways, we’re in need of more saiyan soldiers. You’re coming with us, whether you like it or not.” He told Kakarot forcefully, and Nappa’s mouth grew into a smirk. If Kakarot didn’t comply, he would have a lot of fun beating sense into him. As unusual as Kakarot’s personality was for a saiyan, he was smart enough to obey the prince’s order.

    “As long as you’ve got good food, I don’t really care.” He put both hands behind his head and strode off casually, proving his point. “Lead the way.” Vegeta huffed at his informality, but rose into the air without a word. Raditz grabbed the space pod. Kakarot worriedly looked up at the men now in the air, scratching the back of his scalp. “Uh… I can’t fly?” 

    “Are you _serious_ ?” Raditz shouted angrily, almost breaking the pod in his arms even more. Vegeta groaned and slid his hand down his face. Even saiyan children could fly, and this man, that blasted a hole through metal, _couldn’t_? 

    “Nappa, just fucking carry him so we can get out of here.” Nappa didn’t look happy about it, begrudgingly picking up Kakarot with a grimace. Whatever, let them complain all they want. Vegeta had a new, possibly powerful warrior under his belt, and _that_ made him grin wildly as they blasted off towards their own pods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohhh boy- this fic is gona be a DOOZY.  
> all of my other fics updated almost daily, but that won't be the case here. this one is much much longer and more complex, and i only have 3 finished chapters on the back burner. i'd say at MOST twice a month this'll get updated, simply cause of how long each chapter is!  
> this is gonna get pretty crazy the further it goes in, so be ready
> 
> apologies if the pacing is wack, i have a big problem with my writing going too fast. lmk if u see any grammar issues too!


	2. Chapter 2

    “So… what’s your favorite color?” 

    “One more word and I’ll shatter your nose.” 

    Being crammed in a small, now extremely uncomfortable, space pod was  _ not _ how Vegeta thought he’d be spending his days long trip back to the fleet. Kakarot’s pod was deemed unusable due to the hole, and with no way to fix it, he had to share with someone else. Vegeta took up the least amount of space. Unfortunately for both of them, Kakarot’s bulk made up for Vegeta’s lack. Neither of them could move much without touching, and their knees being permanently glued together was bad enough.

    “I’m just trying to pass the time a little.” He frowned. Vegeta threateningly clenched the hand on his knees into a fist. Kakarot shut up.

    “You will not speak for the next three days. If you do, you won’t walk out of here alive.” Vegeta hissed, back pressed hard against the back wall of the pod. It ached. “And before you ask- no, I wouldn’t mind being stuck in here with a corpse. It would be a  _ blessing. _ ” His tail was uncurled from around his waist, because if the rest of him had to be stuck, he wanted  _ some _ freedom of movement. The pod refused to administer the sleep drug that it usually did, probably because it didn’t know what to dosage to use with two fucking people crammed in it. So Vegeta was left to suffer, regretting his decision to bring Kakarot with them. 

    “Three days is a really long time to go without talking.” Kakarot sighed, and it was then Vegeta noticed he was fidgeting with the scouter. Vegeta had taken it off, not wanting anyone to listen in on this awkward scenario, so he snatched it back. “Hey! I was looking at that.”

    “ _ I don’t care! _ ” Vegeta yelled so loud it felt like the whole pod shook. “It’s not  _ yours!  _ Play with your own scouter when you’re assigned one, and leave mine  _ alone. _ ” He shoved it behind himself, away from Kakarot’s giant seeking hands. Easily bored was not a good personality trait when participating in space travel. He crossed his arms over his chest tightly, but Kakarot kept his leaning on his knees. His hands almost brushed Vegeta’s legs, and if that happened, god help whatever happened to those hands. 

    “Why’d you guys even visit my planet anyways? No one’s come to find me in the past…” He paused to calculate, and Vegeta silently fumed that his almost three hours of silence were just ruined. “Eighteen years? Maybe nineteen?” 

    Vegeta made a choking noise. “You’re a  _ teenager? _ ” He asked incredulously, and Kakarot took some offense to that, tail lashing lightly beside him. It had no room to be behind him or else it would be crushed and broken.

    “I think eighteen is pretty old! How old are  _ you _ , then?” He leaned closer with annoyance in his lowered brows, but Vegeta remained unaffected by it. Mostly. A sweat droplet trickled down the side of his face.

    “Twenty-three.” 

    “If you’re older than me, why’re you so tiny?” There it was. Vegeta’s composure was broken instantaneously, and a fist swung out to deliver a hard left hook to Kakarot’s face. He cried out and grabbed at it, his cheek and lip now bleeding. “What the hell!” He shoved Vegeta with his other hand, and Vegeta grabbed his wrist, trapping it in a death grip. His glove creaked with how hard he was holding it, and Kakarot’s fingers flexed uselessly. 

    “What did I tell you earlier, Kakarot? You’re  _ very _ close to becoming just another number in my long list of kills.” His teeth gritted, and his tail fur was raising. It would be a shame to lose a man with so much potential, but his personality ruined it anyways. It was extremely un-saiyan-like behavior, and it made Vegeta sick. “Don’t test me again. You would be wise to respect your Prince.” He hated using his title to earn respect, but if it worked, then it worked.

    “The saiyans have a Prince? That’s cool.” Kakarot leaned back, though he was still pretty hunched. He looked like some kind of fucked up, handsome gargoyle. “No wonder those two big guys seem afraid of you.”

    “As  _ small _ as I look physically, you never judge an opponent based on looks!” He barked, making Kakarot flinch away from spit droplets. “The man we’re going to report to now looks just as non-threatening, but he’ll kill you without a second thought! Don’t be  _ stupid! _ ” Kakarot covered his ears slightly, wincing, but moved his hands away once Vegeta quieted.

    “It sounds like you’re scared of him.” 

    “Do you want another split cheek?” 

    “No, I’m good. I was just saying.” Kakarot mumbled, rubbing blood away from the still-bleeding gash on his face. Unbeknownst to him, if anyone were to see Vegeta be this tolerant, they’d laugh him out of the galaxy. It was humiliating, but this guy just had some kind of effect that Vegeta didn’t understand. “I’ll go to sleep or somethin’ now.” He stretched his arms behind his head as best he could, trying to lean while still bent over. Something caught Vegeta’s eye, though- fresh cuts. Vegeta grabbed his arm, and Kakarot snapped open his eyes. 

    “How did you get these? There was no life on that planet.” His gloved fingers dug into his skin. Even through the fabric it felt disgustingly soft for a saiyan, he hadn’t been in any battles. Yet.

    “Well, not any  _ smart _ life. There were some weird animals, but most of them became my food. There weren't many to begin with.” Despite his previous touchy-feely actions, he was uncomfortable with Vegeta touching him, the Prince could tell. “One got me good right before you guys showed up. The fire was for cooking it.” 

    “You’re fortunate none of them found you as a child.” He released the arm, that Kakarot quickly returned behind his head. “Third-class saiyans don’t fare well on dangerous planets.” Kakarot blinked at him stupidly.

    “Oh, they did find me. I beat ‘em up. Probably did the same thing as a baby, too.” With the two this close, Vegeta’s jaw drop was not unnoticed. “Like I said, not smart.” He tapped his own head, then laughed, and that laugh was the most saiyan part of him. It was phrased as a joking laugh, but Vegeta could read the undertones of humble triumph in it. He kind of liked it, but he wasn’t going to admit that to anyone,  _ including _ himself. 

    “...Fascinating.” Vegeta settled on saying with a grunt. “Well, if you’re going to sleep, then sleep. Free me from your voice.” He turned to his side to fiddle with the pod’s remote, praying that he could get the sleep drug to administer while the fool was asleep. He would have to put in a complaint to get this thing fixed. Kakarot said nothing, wriggling around as he tried to get even a fraction of comfort. Vegeta wouldn’t survive three more days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> turns out 5 days is a LOT of time. this fic will be updating more regularly than i first thought
> 
> apologies if the pacing is wack, i have a big problem with my writing going too fast. lmk if u see any grammar issues too!


	3. Chapter 3

_     Thunk.  _ Vegeta shot awake, hitting his forehead against Kakarot’s. The turbulence was definitely from entering a planet’s atmosphere, and as long as the pod didn’t fuck up, that meant they were at their destination. Kakarot woke up with a whine of complaint, rubbing the bruise that blossomed on his head. “Oow, Vegeta.” His voice shook with the rumbling of the pod.

    “Stop whining. We’ll be landing in a minute.” Vegeta wished he could see out of the little window, but Kakarot was smushed up against it currently. Kakarot craned his neck to peek out of it, and Vegeta decided now would be a good time to put his scouter back on. It clanked as he put it on his head, then made a small beep, clicking on. Immediately voices assaulted his ear.

_     “ So you’re alive. Your radio silence had us worried, Vegeta!”  _ Nappa laughed loudly through the shitty speaker, making Vegeta flinch. Damn pieces of junk these scouters were. Kakarot’s tongue was sticking out of the side of his mouth in concentration.  _ “How’s your new toy doing? He’s gonna throw up something fierce once we land, so make sure you dodge!”  _ Nappa laughed again, and Vegeta heard Raditz join him. Vegeta only growled, letting them have their fun. Vegeta knew that they’d landed when he felt the pod bounce, the landing pads were more like trampolines, and Kakarot suddenly lurched. Oh no.

    “Don’t you dare puke in here!” Vegeta screamed, and more laughter exploded through the scouter, so loud that Kakarot could probably hear it, too. “One of you get me out!  _ Now! _ ” He pushed himself flush against the wall in desperation, and Kakarot was doing his best, both hands over his mouth as he turned a sickly color. Only a second later, the pod door clicked open, and Kakarot spilled out backwards onto the ground. Nappa was Vegeta’s savior. Vegeta climbed out calmly as Kakarot spilled his guts onto the ground, and Nappa and Raditz looked on in amusement. 

    “Had fun?” Raditz asked smugly, arms crossed. Vegeta cracked his neck audibly, multiple times, and his underlings cringed. “I’ll take that as a hard no.” Vegeta grunted, cracking his knuckles as well. Kakarot didn’t have a lot in his stomach, as now he was just dry heaving. “Gross.”

    “Lord Frieza is gonna kill us.” Nappa said in dismay, backing away from Kakarot. Raditz looked equally as afraid as Kakarot finally sat up on his knees, catching his breath. 

    “Now, why would I do that?” All four saiyans turned at once, Kakarot slightly delayed. They all bowed, Vegeta gritting his teeth now that Frieza couldn’t see his face. “It looks like we have a new arrival.” He said with no hint of distaste, even as Kakarot wiped puke off of his mouth. “Is this why you all returned from your mission early?” 

    “Yes, Lord Frieza.” Raditz spoke up first. “We found him on a desolate planet. He’s a saiyan.” He raised a hand to gesture to Kakarot’s tail.

    “We- uh, suspect that he could be Raditz’s brother as well.” Nappa added. Their leader stayed quiet, and Kakarot grew confused as he noticed the shift in power. It went from one short man to the other in an instant. Frieza beckoned someone with a finger, and Vegeta tensed up instinctively. What he assumed were doctors by the gowns that moved past his hands, shuffled quickly towards Kakarot, lifting him up and starting to lead him away.

    “Wait!” Everyone stopped. Vegeta swallowed, throat suddenly dry. Frieza’s malicious red eyes narrowed.

    “Is something the matter, Vegeta?” The silent threat in his voice put everyone on edge, and Raditz cursed the Prince under his breath. Even Kakarot didn’t move.

    “I’d… like to accompany him to the medbay.” Vegeta requested, still bowed. “We don’t… know if he’s completely harmless or not yet. If he attacks anyone, I can take care of it.” Vegeta hoped his leader believed his lie, as Vegeta was pretty good at lying. Frieza was silent as he considered the words, and his tail whipped audibly through the air.

    “Very well, Vegeta. I admire your foresight.” Frieza bought it. Vegeta rose from his bow, head still lowered in submission. Frieza nodded to the doctors, and Vegeta padded over to join them. He felt Kakarot’s tail brush against his leg and he slapped it away with a flick of his own.

    “Thank you, Lord Frieza.” The words tasted foul on his tongue and turned his stomach, but he didn’t keep up this facade all these years just to break it over some pride. “I will keep a close eye on him.” Frieza nodded once more, then turned, motioning for his guards to follow. Only then did Vegeta rise back to his full height, and he could tell Kakarot had questions. Vegeta leaned his head in close. “Keep your mouth shut, I’ll answer any questions you have once we’re alone.” He hissed in a whisper, low enough that the doctor’s didn’t hear it. Kakarot let himself be led away, and Vegeta was rather curious as to what the medical report would tell them.   
  


* * *

 

    “So you really are eighteen.” Vegeta had his chin leaning on his hand as he scanned over the paper delivered to him by the doctors. His other arm was settled on his knees, as he sat next to Kakarot’s cot. Kakarot leaned over to look at the paper, too. “Unbelievable.” 

    “I was just guessing. Honest.” Kakarot tied his blue cloth back around his head. The doctors had tried to take it when removing his ruined armor and bodysuit, but he had basically  _ growled  _ at them. The item obviously held some kind of sentimental value, and the poor guy was going to have to learn fast that in Frieza’s army, you keep no personal possessions. Vegeta’s tail sat uncurled from around his waist on the floor, while Kakarot’s hung off the side of the cot. “What else is on there? I can’t read.”

    “You’re malnourished and dehydrated, but that’s to be expected from an environment like the one you were surviving in.” Vegeta’s eyes moved back and forth, drinking in as much information as he could. This man was utterly fascinating, and he wanted to know everything. “Blood type is A-... that could be an issue if we ever need to give you blood while off-planet.” He mumbled distractedly, and it was clear Kakarot didn’t understand any of that, but he nodded anyways. “You’re free from any disease, somehow.” 

    “Not really on topic, but, when am I gonna get my clothes back? It’s freezing in here!” Kakarot ignored his praise and complained, being in nothing but the standard medbay garments. They really didn’t cover much, so Vegeta was trying not to look at him. “And that cold stuff they put on my scratches is making it  _ worse! _ ” 

    “It’s to heal them, you idiot. Be thankful that Frieza is showing you this much kindness. He isn’t fond of saiyans.” His scouter was discarded on the floor by his hip, turned off, so he had no issue with speaking some of his mind out loud now. “Considering you escaped him unknowingly, I bet he’s fuming in his quarters right now.” Kakarot slid off of the bed to sit indian style on the floor, next to Vegeta. He was far too close for comfort. Vegeta pushed him away.

    “What do you mean?”

    “He blew up our planet, to kill us all. It was supposed to be a secret, but I found out in my own way.” He had to bite the inside of his cheek to avoid insulting Frieza, feeling if he did, the lizard would appear instantly and kill him for his disrespect. Kakarot hummed thoughtfully, rocking back and forth where he sat. Vegeta put a forceful hand on his thigh to still him. “Stop that.” Kakarot stuck his tongue out at him. Vegeta grabbed it between his fingers, and Kakarot squirmed.

    “Hey!” He complained, grabbing at Vegeta’s gloved wrist. This only pulled on his tongue more, and he whined. Vegeta rolled his eyes and let the appendage snap back into Kakarot’s mouth, and he was satisfied when Kakarot scooted further away from his side. His tail tip was twitching, so he was definitely annoyed. 

    “Sit on that desire to punch my lights out for now, because I’ll be training you.” Vegeta pushed himself to his feet and placed the paper on some cold white table.

    “I wasn’t thinking about doing that.”

    “Bullshit. Your tail is lashing and you’re clenching your fists.” Kakarot looked away angrily, caught in his lie. Vegeta would have laughed at him, but at that moment a doctor decided to stroll back in, two nurses following behind. They paused upon seeing the Prince, and bowed, their status being lower than his own in the army. Vegeta eyed the needles the nurses carried and suddenly decided he did not want to accompany Kakarot any longer. “Have fun, Kakarot. Find me when you're finished.” He put up a hand to wave as he turned on his heel and walked away. The door slid shut behind him just as his new subordinate began to scream in fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updating a little sooner than last time
> 
> apologies if the pacing is wack, i have a big problem with my writing going too fast. lmk if u see any grammar issues too!


	4. Chapter 4

    “You can do better than that!” Vegeta snarled, his tail lashing behind him, having forgone the formality of being his furry belt as soon as this spar had started. His battlesuit felt uncomfortable, clinging to his sweaty skin despite the constant gripping cold of space that lingered in the air. Kakarot groaned on the ground, rubbing his head. Bruises littered his face and body, while Vegeta barely wore any on his visible skin. Kakarot pushed himself off of the cracked stone, glaring. 

    “This armor is too clunky. I can’t do anything in it.”

    “That’s  _ why  _ you’re wearing it. You have to learn! Now stop fucking whining like a child and hit me.” 

    Kakarot growled in response, wiping blood from his lip, smearing it on the back of his hand. Vegeta gazed into the intense eyes settled on him, and he knew he was getting the other saiyan frustrated enough to actually fight effectively. Good. That’s exactly what he wanted. Kakarot dived at him, but he wasn’t very fast, and instead of his fist connecting with Vegeta’s face- he got a hard blow to the stomach. He collapsed, coughing and sputtering. Blood and spit landed at the Prince’s feet. “Pathetic. You wouldn’t last a second on the battlefield.” Vegeta kicked him hard in the side, sending him sprawling across the ground.

    Kakarot’s head remained lowered as he struggled to recover, but as soon as the insult slipped past Vegeta’s lips, it snapped up. Slowly, Kakarot released his stomach, standing. His armor was cracked and chipping off where Vegeta had kicked him. Something in those black eyes sparked, and Vegeta was left speechless as Kakarot vanished before his eyes.  
The Prince felt as if someone were breathing down his spine, and turned just in time to get a crushing blow to the face. How had Kakarot gotten behind him without him noticing...? Vegeta had no time to think about that, as more punches and kicks rained down upon him. He could barely block all of them, his arms stinging with the force. “Has it been more than a second?” Kakarot’s tone was cold and challenging, a stark contrast to the clueless, grossly optimistic voice that had bothered Vegeta in the space pod. Vegeta’s eyes widened.

    “You watch your tongue, third-class waste!” Vegeta howled, immensely offended, grabbing both of Kakarot’s swinging fists and twisting a way arms should not ever go. The taller man screamed in agony as muscle and bone began to tear and break, filling the area with sickening sounds. Vegeta was no stranger to the sounds of war, he didn’t even flinch. “Never disrespect me again! I am your superior!  _ Do you hear me?!  _ ” Blood was roaring in his ears, drowning out the anguished screams of the other saiyan. A bone snapped.

    He released Kakarot in a daze, and the warrior stumbled backwards, both arms limp at his sides. Tears streamed down his face, and for a second… Vegeta wondered if he’d taken it too far. Animalistic eyes burned into his skin, a look so wholly saiyan on that young face that before, seemed to lack saiyan completely. Vegeta had reached his goal of awakening the young warrior’s sleeping rage, but at what cost to himself?

    “I’m not some tool!” Kakarot charged at him, his arms useless as he used his legs to trip Vegeta up at breakneck speeds, sending him to the floor. He braced himself for more kicks, rolling to the side and shielding his face with his arms, but they didn’t come. Kakarot plopped down onto his ass, wincing and hissing as he tried hard not to jostle his ruined limbs. His tail whipped back and forth angrily, slapping the floor. The Prince sat up, uncrossing his guarding arms and brushing off his blue undersuit. Blood dripped from Kakarot’s arms, staining his clothes. They would both have to change now, but that was just a sign of an excellent spar. The older man remained silent as he dragged Kakarot up to his feet by the back of his armor plate.

    “Stop crying, you pussy.” Vegeta scolded him in utter distaste, dropping him onto unsteady legs. Kakarot wiped his tears, tail still moving wildly. The other saiyan who had been tasked with watching their fight for ‘safety reasons’ finally stood up, unwilling to intervene even when Vegeta was breaking Kakarot’s arms for fear of directing the Prince’s anger onto himself. He flicked his long black hair, then placed a hand lightly on Kakarot’s shoulder. “You take care of it from here, Raditz. He’s  _ your _ brother.” Vegeta ordered, strutting away to get a change of clothes.

    “Come on, Kakarot,” Raditz rolled his eyes. “Let’s go to the medbay.” 

 

* * *

 

    “Get in that.” Raditz pointed to a large tank. “It’ll help your arms.” He turned back to the wet cloth in his hands- they had gotten pretty bloody while struggling with his brother to reset his broken bones. Kakarot looked at the contraption curiously, eyes narrowed in suspicion. The medbay seemed to unnerve him following whatever the doctors ended up doing him when Vegeta left him alone. Raditz had noticed Vegeta leaving, and heard Kakarot’s screams.

    “Is he always that mean?” Kakarot spoke up, climbing in the tank with some difficulty. Raditz laughed and nodded, shooting a small, harmless ki blast at the button to activate the machine. A whirring noise echoed in the room as the tank started to fill up with teal liquid. 

    “He’s such a brat. I should know, since I grew up with the guy.” Raditz tossed his dirty rag to the floor. “Put that mask in there on if you don’t want to drown, by the way.” Raditz observed his brother as he did so, making sure he didn’t do it wrong.

    Kakarot shivered uncomfortably as the solution rose up around his neck, firmly securing the mask over his face as the liquid level increased again. It soon submerged his head, then clicked off automatically once it reached the top of the tank. He’d seen other people in these while getting his shots, so he knew to undress, but opted to leave his underwear on anyways. It would be weird to undress fully with someone else in the room, even if it was just his brother.

    “I pulled out some new armor for you, not sure if it’s the right size, but all of our clothes stretch anyways.” Raditz moved to a table near the tank, picking up a needle and putting it up to Kakarot’s face behind the glass. “You  _ need _ to take this when you get out.” Kakarot shook his head violently, making bubbles in the solution. Raditz gave him a stern look. “That stuff you’re swimming in has fake saiyan DNA in it, so if you don’t stop the healing process, it might mutate you.” Kakarot’s eyes widened, afraid of both the needle  _ and _ the possible side-effects. He shook his head again helplessly, unable to speak. Raditz wasn’t giving in. “Either you do it, or I’ll call Vegeta in to do it for you.”

    “He’d just punch me unconscious.” Kakarot mumbled a reply the best he could through the mask, sending bubbles up through the tank. Raditz grinned and leaned back, setting the needle down. 

    “You’re not wrong about that. Still, though, if I come back in here and see this still on the table… he’s coming in.” 

    “Nooo…” Kakarot groaned.

 

* * *

 

    Raditz kept his word. Tables were knocked over and broken, various medical devices scattered across the white tile floor in a chaotic display. Vegeta clenched a syringe hard in his left hand, close to breaking it. His stance was tense as he had a silent standoff with a mostly naked man, both of their tails swishing behind them. Vegeta’s hair was a mess and Kakarot had scratched himself on some broken debris. To any onlooker, they looked absolutely ridiculous.

    “Let me administer the damn shot!” Vegeta rushed him, Kakarot dodged with a noise of protest, and Vegeta slammed himself into the wall instead. Pieces of it flaked and fell around him as his body limply slid down, his face now in a world of pain. Kakarot paused with a gasp, then worriedly approached, trying to apologize. Vegeta was having  _ none  _ of it. No more. Shooting his hand out in a blur, he forcefully squeezed Kakarot’s tail, sending him to the floor as well. He twitched uncomfortably as Vegeta kept it in his grasp, trying to move. “Now hold still.”

    Kakarot cried out weakly as the needle was plunged into his arm and the fluid injected, but it was over quickly, the object of his fear tossed away and broken the second it left his skin. Vegeta released his tail, and Kakarot shakily stood up, not able to find his footing after that. He breathed heavily, almost gasping, and Vegeta only felt  _ slightly _ bad about exploiting a saiyan’s most vulnerable spot. If Raditz hadn’t left when things got intense, he would surely be fuming over the treatment. Kakarot trembled. “Wh… What was that?” He whimpered, holding his tail in his hands. 

    “Our tails are extremely sensitive if the weakness isn’t properly trained out of us. Let this experience be a lesson to never let  _ anyone _ touch it.” Vegeta explained as he ran his hands through his hair, fixing the mess Kakarot’s romp around the medbay had made it. He caught the sad, confused expression on Kakarot's face, and found himself unable to look at it. “Get dressed already and shut up, I’m tired of hearing you talk.” Vegeta sighed in frustration as he massaged his forehead, turning his back to the other. 

    Kakarot looked dejected as he released his tail and grabbed his replacement armor, not caring if Raditz did indeed pick the right size or not. Once he was dressed, he kept the appendage securely wrapped around his waist. He… didn’t do that before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i havent been writing at all lately and im running out of pre written chapters, so expect slower updating


	5. Chapter 5

    Vegeta was glad the training area was open at all hours. No one else but him was crazy enough to use it at night, much rather preferring to sleep after a long day of Frieza Force responsibilities. The occasional night shift soldier would still walk in, though they always left as soon as they saw him. Vegeta got enough sleep to satisfy himself in those _damned_ pods. He hated how that drug could knock him out so easily, but it would be stupid to refuse using it. Even he couldn’t handle the month-long trips they sometimes had to take for certain missions. The sweat cascading down his hot skin despite the cool, artificial air of the planet outside was a welcome feeling. It was unlike the temperature regulation in the pods that would never make him sweat even a single drop. It was familiar. Grounding. 

    He sent his fifth training dummy thus far soaring across the room, landing with a crash in a pile of other ruined robotic parts. His knuckles stung from punching metal, but again, that was a good thing. Another familiar sensation. He would only stop once they were bleeding, or if the dummys got a good shot on him that rendered him unable to continue at his full potential. The mechanics that had to fix those things probably hated him, but the Prince could hardly muster any care. His ki flared aggressively around him, a bright white aura, making the very walls tremble in their foundation. Small reminders of how powerful he was were always welcome. 

    “Could you, nnmmm, tone it down a little…?” Vegeta’s head whipped to the side at the sound of another voice entering the room, his gathered energy disappearing as he lost focus. A loud yawn followed the request. “I can’t sleep with you doing… whatever it is you’re doing.” They gestured vaguely. Vegeta was sure his veins were about to burst and kill him.

    “Fuck off, Kakarot. Plug your ears if it bothers you that much.” Vegeta delivered a hard blow to the next machine set up for him, leaving a large dent in the artificial torso. Kakarot placed his hands on his hips, and it was then Vegeta realized the large man was barely wearing anything. Boxers and a loose nightshirt… where did he even _get_ that shirt? His beast of a brother?

    “It’s not the _sound._ Your energy is really distracting, quit raising it so high.”

    Vegeta paused his feverish beating, looking at Kakarot, an eyebrow raised in hostile confusion. “ _What?_ ” The other saiyan rolled his eyes, ruffling his hair with a hand.

    “Your energy. It’s pretty large when you raise it so much, and it’s kind of interrupting my sleep.”

    “What kind of nonsense are you spewing? You can _feel_ my ki?” Vegeta sneered. “No one can do that! That’s why the entire force wears scouters!” Vegeta had stepped away from his training, approaching Kakarot aggressively. Kakarot blinked, stepping back until he was almost right up against a wall. 

    “So _that’s_ what those beepy things do…” He stood there stupidly. “I thought everyone could sense energy. That’s how I knew when animals were trying to sneak up on me.” Vegeta couldn’t believe this, he’d never run into someone with an ability like that. It sounded extremely useful, as the scouters were a necessary crutch… until now, apparently. The Prince thought back to when he’d first found Kakarot, and how the man had moved with no sign of Vegeta approaching. A desperate fire started to burn through his skin, childishly excited by the idea that he now had access to a brand new skill, and he was going to learn it. Whether Kakarot was willing to teach him or not. 

    Kakarot backed up, hitting the wall, as Vegeta stalked over to him. They stood chest-to-chest, Vegeta’s heart beating rapidly from adrenaline, while Kakarot’s matching rhythm was from apprehension. “You _will_ teach me this technique. That is _not_ a request.” He fisted his ungloved, bruised hand in the neck of Kakarot’s shirt, tugging. He couldn’t raise a man that was taller than him off of the ground, but this worked. 

    “Uh… okay, yeah.” Kakarot’s tail quickly wrapped around his waist. His eyes nervously darted around the room, not wanting to focus on the smaller man. Vegeta let him go with a satisfied grunt, backing up to give him space. Kakarot relaxed instantly. 

    “Tomorrow.” Vegeta turned his back to Kakarot. “Return here in the morning. I don’t want time wasted.” Vegeta returned to the spot he’d been before Kakarot interrupted, and Kakarot said nothing back as he exited the room just as fast as he’d come in. Vegeta didn’t spare the brain energy to think about how Kakarot had only wrapped his tail around himself because he got too close.

* * *

 

    “This is bullshit!” Vegeta tugged at his hair with both hands, slipping out of his meditative position. Meditation! Fucking _meditation!_ Kakarot sat at his side, tail securely around his waist. He sighed, throwing his head back in impatience at the Prince's complaining.

    “Vegeta, it’s _really_ not that hard-”

    “ _Oh, Vegeta, it’s not that hard!_ ” Vegeta imitated him, then flicked him in the side of the head, making him recoil with a surprised yelp. “That’s what you sound like! Shut up!” Kakarot rubbed the area with a sharp glare at Vegeta. He was already a fair distance away from Vegeta, not liking being in close proximity anymore.

    "I don't have to be doing this." 

    "As if I'd let you walk away." Vegeta snorted.

    "As if you could stop me." Kakarot huffed, his tail fluffing up around his torso. Vegeta swallowed as he felt nervousness enter his limbs for a split second. He wasn’t too keen on fighting Kakarot. He was clumsy, but if he got angry, he could do a number on any foe. Kakarot turned his head away, breaking their staring contest and backing down from the challenge he’d proposed. "Just focus on trying to find _my_ energy first. I'm right next to you, it's the easiest way. I’ll even power up a little." White enveloped Kakarot as he flared his ki.

    Vegeta closed his eyes again with a frustrated sigh, attempting to do as Kakarot explained to him before. His mind searched for Kakarot’s energy, but just couldn’t seem to find it- he could feel it on his skin, but that wasn’t _actually_ feeling it. Concentrating hard, his own ki began to spread throughout the room, moving away from his body and reaching out like tendrils- but that seemed off. Expending so much energy for a supposedly simple technique didn’t sound like the correct method to do it. His suspicion was confirmed when he felt Kakarot's ki grow worried, pulsing up and down instead of being a steady stream of power as Vegeta’s moved closer to it. His own ki forced its way into Kakarot’s, mingling, Vegeta invading his personal space without actually moving his body.  
  
    Vegeta's eyes shot open when Kakarot cut off his energy completely. Both of them recoiled, Vegeta's tail fluffed up enough to look comical and Kakarot's tight around his body.  
"I don't want to do this anymore." Kakarot stuttered out, trying to scramble up and out of the room, but Vegeta grabbed him by the back of his shirt. He received a hard blow to the face for it. He didn't fall, only taking a few steps back, while clutching his face. Kakarot stepped towards him, reaching a hand out. "I- didn't mean to do that-" 

    "Shut up." 

    "...Vegeta?" 

    "Go away, Kakarot." Vegeta waved a hand at him, his other palm still obscuring his face. Kakarot bit his lip, fists clenching, but he listened. Vegeta only let his arms relax once he felt Kakarot's energy move away… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MASSIVE EDIT: 8/15/2019
> 
> i'm alive!!!  
> i'm re posting this chapter because there have been some HEAVY edits, specifically from chapter 3 and onwards  
> i would really suggest re-reading from the beginning if you can, though, because there has been small changes in 1-2 as well  
> hopefully these have improved the story, and make it easier for me to continue writing it
> 
> new readers, don't worry about this note haha


	6. Chapter 6

    Vegeta and Kakarot didn't cross paths for the rest of the day, leaving Vegeta to deal with the sudden confusion of being able to sense ki signatures alone. It gave him a headache, there were so many soldiers from the force on this planet, it made his head spin. Thankfully, most of them were low-leveled enough that it didn't send him to the ground with a migraine. Kakarot, though… whenever he got within Vegeta's sense's distance, it _hurt._ A _lot._ Kakarot knew that no one in the force could sense energy since Vegeta told him, but had no idea he had so easily passed the skill to the Prince. So he was making absolutely no effort to lower his power. 

    Vegeta groaned and rubbed his head, for probably the thirtieth time since the problem started, and the man sitting across from him at the mess hall table finally had enough. A sharp kick to Vegeta's ankle made him bolt upright from his previous bent-over position, greeted by the angry face of Raditz. 

    "Quit fuckin' whining, Vegeta. If you're sick just get over yourself and go to the medbay." His tail lashed behind him, food sitting in the air on his stilled fork. "You haven't even touched your food, and I'm _awfully_ hungry today…" He threatened, knowing insinuating the taking of food from any saiyan would make them angry. Vegeta couldn't muster the motivation to snap back yet, so he just kicked Raditz's leg back to his own side. 

    "I'm fine, and touch my food if you dare. You already know what will happen."

    "Oh, do I?" Raditz challenged through a full mouth. Vegeta crushed the fork that had sat uselessly under his palm for the past ten minutes, directing all the rage from his pain directly at the larger man through his eyes.

    "You do." 

    Raditz didn’t shut up. "What's your deal, Vegeta? First you absolutely decimate Kakarot's arms in his first spar ever, and now you're acting weird after meeting up with him."

    "How did you know about that?" Vegeta barked, infuriated that his colleagues may be aware now that Vegeta was letting some third-class newbie teach him. Even more so, he feared that Kakarot shared the technique with them, too. _He_ was supposed to be the strongest out of them all.

    "He told me about it?" Raditz replied, matter-of-factly. "I'm his _brother_ , and also don't snap at him constantly." Vegeta scoffed at him.

    "He's a fool to trust someone so easily."

    "He trusted you too, you know." Raditz glared at him over his now empty tray. "Don't think he didn't tell me about the tail grabbing thing. That was wrong, Vegeta, and you know it!" He was becoming defensive of his younger brother, and Vegeta didn't feel like starting a physical altercation in the mess hall. Not today, anyways. The raising of power would just hurt him more. He stood up, wrapped his tail around himself, and shoved his untouched food towards the other.

    "I know damn well it was, but as I said, he's a clueless fool. Best I get him out of that mindset as soon as possible. For his own sake."

    "Fuck you, Vegeta." Raditz growled.

    "Watch yourself, or you might find yourself _mysteriously_ hurtling through space if we cross paths off-planet!" Vegeta snarled, changing his mind and smacking his surrendered food with his tail, onto the floor. Raditz had lost his appetite for it anyways, and he stood up with a shove to the table- and his own tray. It was empty, so it did nothing. Vegeta turned and stormed away, tail whipping through the air. Raditz’s eyes glared daggers at his back. 

 

* * *

 

    “You’re looking unhappy, saiyan. Are you displeased with your job?” The large, green man looming next to him leaned in close, attempting to intimidate Kakarot. Kakarot shifted himself nervously- the guy looked handsome, but the looks did _not_ match the personality hidden behind them. This guard shift, which seemed more like a test of his behavior, was unbearable.

    “No.”

    “No, _what?_ ” He hissed, extremely offended. 

    “No, Zarbon. Sir.” 

    “That’s more like it.” Zarbon huffed and flipped his long braid over his shoulder before crossing his arms. “You’re a quick learner, despite being of such a barbaric species.” Kakarot rolled his eyes, his own arms firmly at his sides and his tail-tip twitching behind his back, where Zarbon could not see it. Zarbon and Dodoria were a nasty pair, and even had enough authority to dare to insult Vegeta- that had surprised Kakarot the first time he saw it. He only observed from a distance, wanting to stay away from the Prince for the rest of the day. He had figured Vegeta must have been Frieza’s right-hand man, with the way the tyrant let him get away with speaking out of line before. Turns out, Vegeta is only a simple high-ranking soldier… and Kakarot was a low-ranking soldier.

    “Frieza- I mean, _Lord_ Frieza…” Kakarot started inquisitively, making Zarbon focus his attention on him. Kakarot gritted his teeth. “How strong is he? Vegeta sounds scared of him, and Vegeta is really strong, so-” Kakarot was cut off by the venomous, barking laughter of Zarbon.

    “ _Vegeta? Powerful?_ Kakarot, you never mentioned being a comedian!” Zarbon clutched at his stomach, and Kakarot fumed silently beside him. “I am _far_ more powerful than _Vegeta._ ” Kakarot gawked at Zarbon, unaware yet that Zarbon was a known liar. “And, Lord Frieza is greater in power than even myself, if that answers your question sufficiently.” 

    “Wow…” Kakarot scratched the back of his head, totally confused by Zarbon’s words. Zarbon’s power level didn’t feel like much at all, and he was standing right there! Frieza’s felt small too… could it be possible that they knew how to hide portions of their power? Or did they have some other secret? It bothered Kakarot immensely. Far away, Vegeta felt his ki fluctuate with the emotion, and it stopped the Prince in his tracks.

    “I can see you’re surprised.” Zarbon grinned widely, his ego thoroughly stroked. “Good. There’s other things you have yet to learn, but I’m sure Vegeta will inform you. I’m no teacher.” Zarbon waved him off with a hand. Kakarot lowered his arm and stared at the ground, absentmindedly picking out and following Vegeta’s ki signature. Standing guard was much too boring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really trying to figure out how to get to the plot points i already have planned. next chapter might take a while


End file.
